198 



shelter and due care. In Woodsou, wbile flocks well cared for are in 

 good condition, others are poor and dying of starvation. In Miami 

 they are thin and " dilapidated " for want of shelter to them and their 

 feed. In Bourbon, small flocks, properlj^ cared for, are in good condi- 

 tion, but a flock of 400 has lost 35 per cent, from neglect and exposure. 

 In Dickinson, all sheep that went into winter-quarters are in good con- 

 dition have done well, but " most of the sheep were driven from Iowa 

 and Missouri late in the fall, and were poor to start on ; and conse- 

 quently are not in good condition." 



In Nebraska the general condition of sheep is considerably above 

 average. The only county in which thej' are reported below is Pawnee, 

 in which they are thin. 



The condition in California and Oregon bears too close a .resemblance 

 to that of cattle already described; but, in the former State, Del Norte 

 ^d San Diego report it as fine, and Plumas as somewhat better than 

 that of cattle ; and in the latter, Lane and Clatsop return good coudi- 

 tion, and Benton average ; in Douglas, except the flocks well cared for, 

 too poor to raise lambs ; in Wasco the worst for ten years ; in El Do- 

 rado, California, while cattle are in very bad condition for want of proper 

 feed, sheep are still worse, being too weak aud poor to raise lambs, and 

 consequently nearly half of the lambs have died. 



Eeports from Nevada state that sheep are in very fair condition, 

 being more generally fed than cattle. 



The extensive suflfering and loss, from exposure and hunger, in 

 Washington Territory, have been previously noted. King County alone 

 reports good condition. Among the twelve counties reporting from 

 Utah, Weber, Wasatch, and Sevier return good condition ; Morgan and 

 Iron, very good; San Pete, never better; Davis, fair, " except a few 

 from short feed and neglect of treatment for scab;" Kane, rather poor, 

 but better than cattle. Utah, a loss of per cent, by snow-storms. 

 From Idaho : Ada reports poor condition : Nez Perces, good. From New 

 Mexico : Santa Fe, good ; Taos, excellent ; Aura, far better than last 

 year. From Arizona : jMaricopa and Mohave, good ; Yava])ai, great 

 loss of sheep and all early lambs — flocks brought from California last 

 fall and not acclimated — dying of cold; some losing as high as 70 per 

 cent. 



Keturns have been received from Weld, El Paso, and Douglas, Colo- 

 rado; and fi'om Clay, Davison, Hanson, and Lincoln, Dakota, all favor- 

 able. 



LOSSES OF CATTLE AND SHEEP. 



Losses in cattle and sheep by death aud depreciation in condition aud 

 production, the past winter, are very much less than in the previous 

 winter, east of the Rocky Mountains, and much greater west. They do 

 not exceed those of the winters of 1872-'73, in any county reported in 

 New England, and in more than five-sixths they are returned either less 

 than last year, or less than average. In Maine, Sagadahoc, never less ; 

 in New Hampshire, Carroll, less than for years; in Vermont, Addison, 

 of cattle, 75 per cent, less ; of sheep, 90 per cent. less. 



In the Middle States, out of one hundred returns, seventy-four re- 

 port the losses less than last year, or less than average, and not one 

 greater. New York, Warren, 75 per cent, less; Seneca, no losses. 

 New Jersey, Gloucester, 50 per cent, less; Hudson and Burlington, no 

 losses, being well sheltered and fed. Pennsylvania, Bucks, Lehigh, Ly- 

 coming, Northumberland, and Greene, no losses; Mercer, 67 per cent. 



